Systems and methods for producing binaural audio with head size adaptation

Abstract

A vehicle audio system including a plurality of near-field speakers disposed to direct acoustic energy to a seating position within a vehicle cabin; a sensor disposed in the vehicle cabin providing a sensor signal representative of at least one of an ear position or a head size of a user seated in the seating position; a controller configured to drive the plurality of near-field speakers to produce a content signal at the seating position, wherein the controller is configured to provide a drive signal to drive the plurality of near-field speakers such that a binaural effect is created for the user, wherein the drive signal is based, at least in part, on the ear position or the head size of the user in the seating position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle audio system, comprising:
 a plurality of near-field speakers disposed to direct acoustic energy to a seating position within a vehicle cabin;   a sensor disposed in the vehicle cabin providing a sensor signal representative of at least one of an ear position or a head size of a user seated in the seating position;   a controller configured to drive the plurality of near-field speakers to produce a content signal at the seating position, and   wherein the controller is configured to provide a drive signal to drive the plurality of near-field speakers such that a binaural effect is created for the user, wherein the drive signal is based, at least in part, on the ear position or the head size of the user in the seating position.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the drive signal drives the plurality of near-field speakers in an array configuration according to an interaural crosstalk cancellation filter to create the binaural effect. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle audio system of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor signal is representative of the head size of the user, wherein the interaural crosstalk cancellation filter is selected from a plurality of stored interaural crosstalk cancellation filters according to head size and head position. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle audio system of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor signal is representative of the head size of the user, wherein the interaural crosstalk cancellation filter is morphed according to the head size. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the drive signal drives the plurality of near-field speakers according to a virtualization filter such that a spatialized acoustic signal is provided to the user, the spatialized acoustic signal being perceived by the user as originating from at least one location distinct from the plurality of near-field speakers. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle audio system of  claim 5 , wherein the sensor signal is representative of the head size of the user, wherein the virtualization filter is selected from a plurality of stored interaural crosstalk cancellation filters according to head size and head position. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle audio system of  claim 5 , wherein the sensor signal is representative of the head size of the user, wherein the virtualization filter is updated according to the head size. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle audio system of  claim 5 , wherein the sensor signal is representative of the head size of the user, wherein the interaural crosstalk cancellation filter is selected from a plurality of stored interaural crosstalk cancellation filters according to head size and head position. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is at least one camera directed to the user. 
     
     
         10 . At least one non-transitory storage medium storing program that, when executed by at least one processor, outputs drive signals for producing binaural audio with head size adaptation, comprising:
 receiving a content signal for playback at a seating position within a vehicle cabin;   receiving a sensor signal representative of at least one of an ear position or a head size of a user seated in the seating position; and   providing a drive signal, comprising the content signal, to drive a plurality of near-field speakers disposed to direct acoustic energy to a seating position within the vehicle cabin such that a binaural effect is created for the user, wherein the drive signal is based, at least in part, on the ear position or the head size of the user in the seating position.   
     
     
         11 . The at least one non-transitory storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the drive signal drives the plurality of near-field speakers in an array configuration according to an interaural crosstalk cancellation filter to create the binaural effect. 
     
     
         12 . The at least one non-transitory storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the sensor signal is representative of the head size of the user, wherein the interaural crosstalk cancellation filter is selected from a plurality of stored interaural crosstalk cancellation filters according to head size and head position. 
     
     
         13 . The at least one non-transitory storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the sensor signal is representative of the head size of the user, wherein the interaural crosstalk cancellation filter is morphed according to the head size. 
     
     
         14 . The at least one non-transitory storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the drive signal drives the plurality of near-field speakers according to a virtualization filter such that a spatialized acoustic signal is provided to the user, the spatialized acoustic signal being perceived by the user as originating from at least one location distinct from the plurality of near-field speakers. 
     
     
         15 . The at least one non-transitory storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the sensor signal is representative of the head size of the user, wherein the virtualization filter is selected from a plurality of stored interaural crosstalk cancellation filters according to head size and head position. 
     
     
         16 . The at least one non-transitory storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the sensor signal is representative of the head size of the user, wherein the virtualization filter is updated according to the head size. 
     
     
         17 . The at least one non-transitory storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the sensor signal is representative of the head size of the user, wherein the interaural crosstalk cancellation filter is selected from a plurality of stored interaural crosstalk cancellation filters according to head size and head position. 
     
     
         18 . The at least one non-transitory storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the sensor is at least one camera directed to the user.